The Bite
by Diabolo Framboise
Summary: Rewrite of the last Klaroline scene from 4x13. Basically, I was disappointed with Caroline's behavior in this episode so I rewrote the last scene the way I would have wanted her to act. Please read the A/N for more explanation.


**Hi!**

**I hope I'm not going to upset anyone but I'm just gonna be blunt: Caroline disappointed me in the last episode.**

**Don't get me wrong. I am not excusing Klaus for what he did to her because it was awful and cruel. He hurt her for no reason, just to get back at Tyler so I am not saying for one second that what he did was right because it was not.**

**What I am saying is that Caroline disappointed me by manipulating Klaus' feelings _again_ in order to save her own skin. She was so eager to spit in his face at the beginning and then she suddenly ended up making puppy eyes to him when she needed him, honestly it really disappointed me. I know that most of Klaroline shippers think that she was genuine but I don't. For me, she just manipulated Klaus once again to save her ass and it bothered me to no end.**

**If she wants to spit in his face, ok, that's not why I'm mad at her. She has good reasons for it and I accept it. But then she must have the courage of her opinions and not batting her eyelashes when she needs him. Honestly, it lacks dignity and that's why I'm mad at her.**

**That's why I rewrote the last scene of the episode in the way I would have like to see Caroline act. I would have like that Klaus saved her because it was his own choice and not because she coaxed him to do it.**

**I apologize if I hurt anyone feelings with this little rant. This is absolutely not what I want. I really love Caroline but I was really disappointed with her and I wanted to make things right for me by writing this. Please don't be mad at me for this.**

**Thanks to Matt-on-Matt who helped me with the grammar.**

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Tyler gave a last apologetic look to Caroline and left the house. Caroline looked at him leaving and scoffed weakly. This plan was bad. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to be stuck in this living room with the hybrid who had just bit her to death. Caroline would rather die than beg him to save her. She had agreed to come back here only because Tyler had been so insistent and so desperate, otherwise she would have just accepted her fait. Caroline didn't want to die, but she didn't want anything from Klaus either. Not after what he had just put her through. Not after making her think that he could be better and then bit her like she meant nothing. Not after hurting her just to get back at Tyler when she had believed he cared about her.

Caroline realized that she had overestimated her power over Klaus. She would have never thought that he could hurt _her_. The shock of becoming conscious that she was not safe from his wrath was almost as distressing as the shock of his act itself. Caroline would never forget her astonishment at the brutal gesture from the man who had always been so sweet to her. She had deliberately hurt him and she had been foolish enough to think she could get away with impunity. She was wrong and she was now paying the price. Not looking at Klaus, Caroline crawled to the couch and laboriously pulled herself up. If she was about to die, there was no way she was doing it lying on the floor like an animal.

The pain was quickly getting worse. The effects were much faster than when Tyler had bitten her. Caroline guessed it was because Klaus was an Original. Her head was spinning achingly and her neck was burning her excruciatingly. Klaus watched her struggle to catch her breath after the effort of hauling up on the couch, his face closed and devoid of any feelings. Even when he heard a heavy wheeze fall from her lips, he remained leaning against the frame door, totally impassive. Caroline struggled to stay conscious, and for a long time, the only sounds in the room were her painful attempts to keep breathing. Perfectly aware that even in her weak state she was still glaring daggers at him, Klaus finally turned his head to look at her.

"Nothing personal, love. If I cure you, that means victory for him. Don't worry, it won't be long now."

Caroline fought for one more sharp breath.

"I don't worry, I just can't believe that I have to spend my last moments with you," she answered with difficulty.

Klaus chuckled bitterly. "You should have told your boyfriend that. It was pointless to bring you back here anyway, I won't heal you."

"I told him," Caroline whispered. "But he seemed to think that seeing me like this, would convince you to heal me."

Klaus shrugged. "Then he was wrong," he said indifferently.

Caroline sneered feebly. "If you think I am going to beg you, you couldn't be more wrong. I'd rather die than beg."

"Well, that's a good thing because you are going to die. Probably any minute now," Klaus answered unconcernedly.

The rage suddenly boiled up inside of Caroline and gave her the strength to straighten up on the couch to sit on it.

"How could you do this to him? To his mom? To me?" she asked breathlessly.

"I'm a thousand years old. Call it boredom."

Caroline shook her head. "I don't believe you."

"Fine. Then maybe it's because I am pure evil and I can't help myself," Klaus answered, still not looking at her.

Caroline scoffed. "That I can believe," she spat through her ragged breathing.

"Actually, Caroline, I don't care about what you believe or not," Klaus retorted with a shrug.

In an ultimate effort, Caroline succeed in to prop herself on her feet and made two shaking steps towards Klaus. When she spoke again, her voice was dripping with scorn.

"I loathe you, Klaus. You are the epitome of baseness and cruelty. You relish other people's suffering and there is nothing you like more than to cause it yourself."

Klaus' eyes flashed with fury as his eyes looked daggers at Caroline. She was standing laboriously in front of him, barely able to stand on her feet, her breath was weaker and weaker but she was standing her ground. She wouldn't beg. Through his anger, Klaus couldn't help but feel a flash of admiration. It was one of the reasons why he cared so much about her. Her fierceness. Her bravery. Even at the door of death, she was defying him.

Before he could answer, Caroline turned on her heels and made a step towards the couch. Her knees gave out immediately at the sudden move and she collapsed. Out of instinct, Klaus raced to her and caught her before she hit the floor. Caroline cried in pain when he involuntarily touched her neck and Klaus couldn't help but flinch. Without a word, he put an arm around her waist and led her to the couch. Caroline pulled out from his embrace as soon as she sat on it and gave him a look of hatred.

Klaus shrugged and went back to where he was, leaning nonchalantly against the door frame and seeming almost bored with the situation. Caroline's breath was heavy now and she soon started to whimper in pain. Klaus turned his head to look at her but Caroline stubbornly shifted on the couch so her face was facing the back of it. She bit her lips to keep herself from making sounds but the ache was excruciating now. Her shoulder was violently throbbing and the pain was reverberating in her whole body. Klaus watched Caroline as she bit the back of her hand to prevent another cry. Even with her head turned, he heard the exact second when she started to cry. Her shoulders shivered as the tears were falling helplessly down her cheeks. Caroline's body convulsed as another spasm of pain slammed into her and this time she couldn't hold back her cry. Klaus gritted his teeth as the sound of her suffering resonating into the room. Caroline failed to contain a couple of cries as another wave of pain coursed through her nerves and Klaus tightened his fists. Caroline then seemed to have a moment of respite, but she suddenly rolled on her back and arched against the couch, a scream of pure agony falling from her lips.

Klaus snapped. He couldn't. He just couldn't. To hell with wanting to teach Tyler a lesson, he would find another way. Losing Caroline was not an option. Even if she despised him, he couldn't let her die. Her suffering was unbearable to watch.

Racing to the couch, Klaus sat on the edge and try to wrap an arm around Caroline but she backed away from him.

"Do not touch me," she hissed through the searing pain.

"Come on, Caroline, don't be ridiculous. You need my blood and you need it now," Klaus said impatiently.

Caroline tried to answer but another spasm coursed through her body and she screamed, arching against the couch once more. Her cry died on her lips when her body collapsed back on the cushions and the sudden silence in the room became deafening. Caroline was not making any sounds anymore. No scream. No cry. No whimper.

In a sudden frenzy of panic, Klaus turned Caroline to make her face him and his heart sank. She was completely limped in his arms. Her eyes were closed and no breath was falling from her lips anymore.

"Caroline," Klaus whispered.

"Caroline," Klaus called more urgently when he saw she was not responding.

Klaus immediately sat behind her on the couch and bit in his wrist which he presented to her lips.

"Come on, love, you have to drink," he said desperately.

The panic overwhelmed him when he noticed that Caroline was completely unresponsive. Tilting her head to him, Klaus forced his blood between her lips and after a few agonizingly long seconds he finally felt her swallow. Relief washed over him as Caroline swallowed again and finally moved against him. She gripped his wrist with her hand and started to drink eagerly, her mind still cloudy with pain. Klaus tenderly brushed her hair from her face as she clung to him with her two hands and started to drink in long draughts. He let her take as much blood as she wanted, even after she had enough to be healed. The feeling of the life slowly returning into her body was one of the most overpowering things he had ever felt.

Caroline finally let go of his wrist and overwhelmed with all the pain, the emotion and the sadness of the last couple of hours, she immediately drifted off to sleep. Klaus felt her relax against him and relish in the sound of her finally regular breath. He knew he should have disentangled himself from Caroline and allowed her some distance from him but he couldn't bring himself to let go of her. Stretching his legs on the couch, he wrapped his arms around Caroline's waist and pulled her down to him with her back leaning on his chest. He secured his arms around her and closed his eyes. How come he had become so caring with her? He had wanted to let her die. Really. He was ready for it. At least he thought he was. He was ready to hurt himself in order to hurt Tyler even more. But he couldn't do it. Seeing Caroline like this, convulsing in pain due to his actions was unbearable. And it was only at this very moment that Klaus realized just how much he cared about Caroline.

Caroline woke up a few hours later. She shifted a little, trying to come back to her senses. She was wrapped in a pair of strong arms. Very strong and very comforting she mused dizzily. She was leant against a muscular frame and the scent of the chest' owner was so good that she breathed deeply several times before understanding that something was odd. Caroline abruptly opened her eyes and shifted in the arms that were tightly holding her. The second she saw Klaus' concerned face, Caroline, on instinct, violently pulled out from his arms and vamp sped to the farthest corner of the room, her back flattened against the wall. Totally disorientated, she looked around her and then stared at Klaus. He slowly sat up on the couch, raising his arms in an attempt to soothe her.

"It's okay, Caroline, you are safe," he said softly.

"Safe!" Caroline exclaimed on the verge on panic. "I am not safe, I am dead! You let me die!"

Klaus smiled sadly. "No, love, I didn't. I fed you."

Caroline frowned and swallowed, trying to process what was happening. Her hand rose instinctively on her neck to check it and she gasped when it touched the smooth skin, free of any bite.

Caroline looked at Klaus, totally distressed.

"What happened?" she asked panicky. "I don't understand. I remember the pain, and then nothing. I thought I was dead."

Klaus gave her the same sad smile. "You were close," he admitted quietly.

Caroline gulped. "I don't understand" she said again, almost shyly. "You wanted me dead."

"I did," Klaus conceded. "But when I saw you in that amount of pain…" Klaus voice's trailed off and Caroline frowned. "I just couldn't let you die," he finished so slowly that she wouldn't have hear him if it wasn't for her vampire ears.

Caroline hesitated but she had to ask. "Why?"

"Because I care about you too much to let you die," Klaus said on the same low voice.

Caroline swallowed as an odd feeling coursed through her body. He had healed her. He wanted her dead but he couldn't bring himself to watch her die. He had chosen her over his revenge.

Klaus suddenly stand up and the vulnerability of his face completely disappeared. He put his usual cold mask in place and he looked unemotionally at Caroline.

"You can go tell your boyfriend that he won. I can't bring myself to let you die. Congratulations." he said icily.

Caroline abruptly snapped out of her thoughts. Tyler! He must be mad with worry! She needed to tell him that she was okay. Caroline turned to leave but she hesitated after a few steps. That vulnerability on Klaus' face… She hadn't imagined it. He could have let her die but he didn't. Because he cared about her.

Caroline turned on her heels and looked at Klaus. He seemed as impassive as always but there was something more in his glance. Guilt? Expectation? Hope? Caroline couldn't decide but it was not her main concern right now.

"I know why you did it, you know," she said softly.

Klaus frowned interrogatively and Caroline cleared her thoughts. "The hybrids and Tyler's mom. You didn't do it because you are pure evil. You did it because you were hurt. Which means there is a part of you that is human."

Klaus looked at her in stupefaction. How could she still think such a thing after what he had done to her?

"How could you possibly think that?" he asked dumbfounded.

Caroline smiled tentatively and her voice was soft when she answered.

"Because I have seen it. Because I have caught myself whishing that I could forget all the horrible things that you have done."

Klaus swallowed as her words went straight to his heart.

"But you can't, can you?" he whispered sadly.

Caroline hesitated but she continued.

"I know that you are in love with me. And anybody who is capable of love is capable of being saved," she declared confidently.

Klaus looked at her hesitantly, not even trying to deny her statement of his feelings.

"And you think you can save me?" he asked in a whisper.

Caroline seemed to weight her answer and then she slowly approached him. Taking his face in her hands, she looked him straight in the eyes.

"I can try."

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**Thank you for reading! I'd love to know what you think so please let me know :-)**


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